Uruguay blew a 19-6 lead and had to score a late try to draw with the United States in the first leg of their Americas playoff on Saturday, in qualifying for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

The return leg is in Atlanta next Saturday; the winner over the two games will slot into World Cup Pool B in England, with South Africa, Samoa, Scotland and an Asian qualifier likely to be Japan. The loser goes into a cross-continent repechage.

Many observers in the US and in Uruguay had expected the Eagles, who fielded a number of players employed by European clubs, to win the game relatively easily. But with the visiting team on the wrong end of the penalty count Uruguay, only once a winner against the the US, in 2002, took advantage to lead 19-6. The centre Joaquin Prada scored a try and fly-half Felipe Berchesi converted and kicked four penalties.

The US were recharged by hooker Phillip Thiel's converted try right on halftime, shortly after the flanker Scott LaValla had been denied a try for double movement.

After the break the US used the momentum generated by Thiel's try to cross twice more in a six-minute span, taking the lead for the first time after 50 minutes. The Northampton forward Samu Manoa and Saracens winger Chris Wyles scored tries to turn the game.

Seven minutes from the end, however, Uruguay's scrum power saw the Eagles replacement prop Nick Wallace sent to the sin-bin; another powerful scrum then sent the Mont de Marsan scrumhalf Agustín Ormaechea over in the left corner to level. Berchesi's conversion attempt was wide and though the Eagles finished the game on the attack, they could not score.

The Glasgow centre Folau Niua kicked two penalties and three conversions for the Eagles.

"We are very happy about the match we played," said Berchesi, who ended with 17 points. "We were not the favourites and most people were expecting us to lose easily. The qualifier is still open and I hope we can have a great match away but we need to make no mistakes."

The US has missed the World Cup only once, in 1995. Uruguay has qualified only twice, in 1999 and 2003.